Typewriter



May 15, v1923.

L. R. ROBERTS VTYPEWRITH Filed Aug. 1920 2 sheets-sheet 1 /2 f @ff u" 3 r lz, 40 E i2 6W l I l u .i f. 3 T Z3 3 n 52 Z6 ,l 7` pgrz il] l l 2 2,2 4 4] 25 sa di Z /7 it?" 'Q f7 20/ l/g )LM ff ff May 15', 1923. 1,455,031

I .RROBERTS4 TYPEWRI TER Filed Aug. 5, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1.5, LL.:

.ILYMAN B.. ROBERTS, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 L. R. ROBERTS r- TYPEW-RITEB. COMPANY,v OF STANFORD, CO1\II\`I'E(,T.I|lCIM?, A. CORPORATION OIF'v nELAwAnE.'

TYPEWRITEB.

Appneaa'on mea-'August .3, 1920. serial ira-400,891.

To all whom 'it may concern.' Be it known that I, LYMAN R. Ronnn'rs, a citizen of ythe United States, residing at Rutherford, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriters, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawin s, forming a part of the same.- c

his invention relates to improvements 1n typewriters. a

In the'use of typewriters, as heretofore known, trouble has been caused by the loss of proper alignment, due to the bouncing or t quivering of the case-shifting parts.

Itis the principal object of the present 1nvention to provide a typewriter so constructed that bouncing or quivering of the casei shifting parts is prevented whether these parts are in normal or shifted position.

v -With this general object in view, the invention consists in the combinations, details of construction andl arrangements of parts whichwill first be described in' connection with the accompanying drawings and then more particularly pointed. out.

In the drawings: F iglurel is a view, in vertical section, of so much of a typewriter, .constructed in accordance with the invention as isl necessary to an'understanding thereo Figure 2 is a view of the same, with parts removed, in rear elevation; Y.

Figure 3' is a transverse sectional view taken through the case shift levers;

Figure 4 is a view similar toFig. 1, with t parts removed, showing the parts in intermediate case shift position; f Figure 5 is. a similar view. showing the parts in extreme case shift position;

Figure 6 is a crosssectional view taken on the line 6 of Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig.A 3 showin a different position of the parts; and i re 8 isja face view of the spacing mem er' removed.'

Referrin to the drawings, typewriters constructe in accordance with the' invention include a case shifting unit. The typewriterherein illustrated as an example is of theclass in which the platen is case-shifted, but it is to be understood. that the invention is applicable also to typewriters having case-shifting type units.

In typewriters embodying a case-shifting platen unit, this unit may comprise various elements depending on the construction of the machine as a whole. In the present embodiment the case shifting unit includes a platen 11, a platen carriage 12 in which the platen shaft is journaled, a carriage truck 13 on which the carriage is mounted for printing movement, vertically sliding plungers 14 on which vthe carriage truck is rigidly mounted, and a lifting rodv 15 connecting the plungers by passing through suitable holes therein.

The above named elements make up a rigidly connected unit, vthat is bodily movable from one case position to .another,.the plungers 14 sliding in stationary vbearing portions 16 of the frame 17.

eans 1 s provided for case shifting'this' .platen unit into either of two positions for writing upper case letters and figures, and

the present construction the platen unit 1s raised from normal position either to an intermediate or eXtreme vertical position.`

In Vstructures embodying theinvention -to v the best advantage, the lifting rod 15 is. raised by a lever having an operating connection with one or more case-shift key levers forming part of the key-board of the machine, the movement being limited by the engagement of the lifting rod withffa. relatively stationary stop .or abutment. Although capable of various constructions, in that here illustrated, mounted on alrock shaft 1 8 is a li-ftin`g lever 19, the free end of which extendsbeneath the lifting ribd l5.

Also mounted Aon the rock shaft is a rocking` lever 20, depression of which rocks the shaft 18 and thusv swings lever 19 upwardly against the lifting 'rod 15 to raise the platen unit.

p Formin part of the key-board of the machineare t e case shift key levers 22, ,23, for intermediate and extreme case shift. The lever 22I`has a lug 24 extending Hover the rocking lever 18, and key lever y23 has a lug 25 also extending over the rocking lever.

Upon operation of either keylever its respective lug forces down the rocking lever 18 with the result above described.

Means is provided for limiting the upward movement of the lplaten unit, and in structures embodying .the invention .to the vbest advantage a relatively stationary stop or abutment is provided for engagement by.

has anarm 30 carrying `a pin 31 which rides in a slot 32 formed in a movable plate 33.

This plate: is also slotted` at. 34 and rides on.

two aligned pins 35. At its vrear en d, the plate 33 has a spacing lug 36. Upon operation of the intermediate case Shift lever, the

pin 31 moves -the plate rearwardly to interpose the spacing lug 36 between the wedge 28 and the lifting rod 15.

The invention includes means for locking the case shift levers in operated position for writing all caps or all figs .Although this locking means may vary inconstruction, in the form shown, pivoted on the key lever comb piece 38 is a shift locking lever 39 having lan operating key or handle 40.

This locking'lever has two legs 41, 42, the feet of which are arranged to extend above'` the respective case shift levers 22, 23. Fig. 3 shows the parts in normal position. When case shift lever 23 is'operated and is to be locked for continuous figure printing, the locking lever 3 9 is swung on its pivot so4 that leg 42 moves into a position above the depressed case shift lever and holds the latter down. Le 41 is so formed as to pass around the norma ly positioned case shift leverVv 22 in thisosition of the parts, whichis shown in Fig; It will be apparent that when the other case shift lever 22'is operated, alike movement of the locking lever holdsr down the case. shift lever by means of' thev other leg 41, while leg 42 passes around the normally positioned case shift lever 23.'

To return the locking lever 39 to itsnormal neutralll position a spring 43 connects `the lever and the 'comb plate 38. When it is desiredto release'the platen from case vshifted position, a slight further depression of the case shift lever relieves the tension on the locking leg and the spring 43 movesthe locking lever 39 back to neutral position.

To prevent bouncing and quivering of the case shifting. unit, the invention includes means for rigidly holding-the unit vagainst shifting' movement. plished, for example, by providinga relatively stationaryanchor and means movable i into a position to hold the unit spaced from such anchor. In structures embodying the invention to the best advantage, there is pro-` This may be accom-- vided a combined spacing member that is tied to an anchor located below the shifting platen unit. One part of this spacing member is designed to hook over a part of the platen unit when in' normal position ,to

vhold the same down. The other part lof the spacing member is designed to move in between a partof the case-shift platen unit and the anchor, to hold the unit spaced therefrom. y

Although capable of various constructions, in the embodiment here illustrated as an example, a relatively stationary anchor is provided inthe form of a roc-k shaft 45 journaled in the frame 1.7 and extending across the machine beneath the lifting rod 15. Mounted on this rock shaft near one end is a combination spacing member indicated generally by 46 and hereinafter described in detail. This spacing member is-secured to the rock shaft in any suitable manner, kas by the collar 47 and screw 48. The spacing member is a metal plate extending u wardl ly YE-)shapefl from the rock shaftarrd is rough as appears more clearly in Fig. 8. It oomprises a normal spacing arm 49 and a shift spacing armi 50. The normal spacing arm 49 is notched at 5l andthe parts are so arvranged that when the platen. unit is in its normal positionr the notch 51 takes over the lifting rod 15 which nests in the crotch of the Y. The vplaten unit is thus rigidly held down the anchor and bouncing and quivering 1n normal position is avoided.

This normal spacing member is removed to permit case shift by means hereinafter described.

To rigidly hold the platen unit in intermediate shifted position the shift spacingv arm 50 is formed with a shoulder 52- designed to take under the lifting rod 15, when the platen unitv is shifted to intermediate position. Thus there is interposed a rigid part between the shifted platen unit and the stationary anchor, which in connection with the shifting limiting stop elements before described, holds the platen unit against bouncing and quivering.

A like result is obtained for extreme case shift by means of the end of the'arm 50, The arm is so arranged that when the platen unit is shifted to extreme posit-ion the end of arm 50 can take under lifting rod 15 whereby the 'platen unit is rigidly held in position as above described. Aprojection 53 on the end of arm 50 serves to limit the movement of the spacing member by engaging lifting rod 15 (see Fig. 5). To accommodate the rod 15 when the platen is in in termediate position, the arm 50 is cut away or notched as at 54.

To normally hold the normal spacing member 49 in spacing position, there is pro'- vided, in the present exempliication, a spring 55 connected between the tail piece of the Y-shaped plate A46 and a pin .56 on 'the frame. Means is provided for removing the normal spacing member to permit case shift.

and for moving the shift spacing member into spacing'position. In-embodiments of the invention in which the two spacing elements arev moved simultaneously as in the.

case of the construction described, these two ends'mayxbe conveniently accomplished b the same means, for example, means to roc the shaft 45.

Instructures embodying the invention to the best advantage, means for removing the normal spacer and for inserting the shift spacer are brought into operation upon operation of either case shift key lever.

.Although capable of various constructions, in` that here illustrated, as an ex ample, the shaft 45 is rocked upon operation of either case shftlever, by means of a rocking arm' 57 Vsecured to the shaft 45. This'irocker arm is engaged by a pin 58 on the shifting lever 19. YThe rocker arm is notched, as shown, and in normal position of the parts lFig. 1) the pin 58 seats in suchnotch. pon operation of a case shift lever, the consequent movement of lifting le. ver 19 causes the pin 58, ridingfup the edge of the rocker arm 57, to rock shaft 45. This movement of the shaft removesthe normal spacing member 49 to permit case shift movelment`and in the same operation inserts the shaft spacing member in spacing osition.

The invention includes means or lockin the shift spacing member in spacing position and in structures embodyin the invention to the best 4advantage t is locking means is brought into operation upon operation of the case shift lever lock. This4 may be accomplished, for example, by clamping the spalcn member into position with a cam action. lthough capable of various constructions, in that here illustrated, pivoted to the locking lever 39 which locks the case shift lever, is one end of a. bell crank 60, the other end being pivoted toa crank.

arm 61 'formed on a rod 62. This rod extends to the rear of the machine and .is journaled in bearing members 63. At its rear end the rod 62 is bent-downwardly to form a pusher 64. Upon operation of the locking lever 39, through the bell crank and the crank 61, the rod 62'is oscillated to swing the pusher 64. To receive the action of the pusher the spacing member is provided with an inclined lug 65. -The movement ofthe pusher against this inclined lug cams lthe spacing member firmly into spacing position and locks it therein. It will be clear that the spacin member is released from this locking action upon release of the case-shift leverlock. As t e locking lever 39 returns to normal position, as above described, the pusher 64, by bell-crank 60, crank 61 and rod 62, is moved away from the cam lug 65.

In t pewriters embodyingv the invention to the est advantage, spacing members are provided at each sidejof the machine. In the present embodiment, 66 represents generallyy a combination spacing memberthat is a duplicate of the one described, except that it hasno cam lug 65.

The operation of the parts described will be clear from the foregoing without further description.

What is claimed ist:

1. In a typewriter-,and in combination, a

frame, a case-shift u nit movable in the frame, a lifting lever yfor case-shifting said unit, a rockshaft .journaled in the frame, a combined locking member mounted'on said rock shaft and having an arm for hooking over a portion of said unit tol prevent movevment thereof out of normal position vand a second armnormally out o'foperative position, for taking underga portion of said unit when in shifted positiin to hold the same in lsuc-li position; a rocker arm on said rock shaft, and a pin on said lifting lever for en-l gaging said rocker arm to rock saidshaft,`

thereby to remove said first named armout of locking position'and to insert said second A' arm into operative position.

" 2. In a typewriter, and in combination, a

`frame, a. case-shift unit movable .in the framey and including a cross bar, a lifting lever for engaging said cross bar to caseshift said unit, a rock shaft journaled in the the frame, a combined `locking member mounted on said rock shaft and having .an arm for hooking over said cross rod to prevent movement of the unit out of normal position and a second arm, normally out of operative position and movable'to a position beneath said cross rod when in shifted position, to 'hold the unit in said position, aY

anchored yto the frame and having an arm normally hooking over a portion of said unit to hold the unit againstmovement out of normal position anda second arm, normally out of operative position, and 4having two shoulders, one for tak-ing under a portion of the unit when in intermediate shifted position, the other for taking under a portion of the unit when in extreme shifted position, thereby to holdthe unit in` such positions, and means, operable upon operation of either of said key levers, for swingframe, a caseh ift locking member .to'remove said first l v'na-tiled arm out of locking position and'to insert said second arm in o rative position.

4. In a typewriter, an in combination, a unit movable in the frame,` a lifting-lever for case-shifting said unit, a combined locking member pivotally yanchored to the frame and having an arm normally hooking-over aeportion of said tion,

unit to prevent movement ythereof out of normal position and a 'second arm, normally out of operative position, for taking under a portion of said unit when in shifted posi-` ing member for-holding said second arm in operable position'.

V 5. In a typewriter, and in combination, a frame, a case-shift unit movable in the frame, means,- including a case-shift lever. for vcase-shifting said unit, a locking device l movable to lock said lever in 'operated position, a combined locking member pivotally anchored to the frame and having an arm normally hooking *over aportion of said unit toprevent movement thereof out of normal position and a second arm, normally ont of operative position,

for taking under a portion of said unit when in. shifted posiltion to holdthe same in such position, means,"

operable upon operation of said lever, for

swinging said locking member to remove said first named arm from locking position and insert said second arm into operative position, and means, operable upon operation lof said lever locking device, for acting directly on said locking member to hold said second'arm in operative-position.

6. Ina typewriter,'and in combination, a frame, a case-shifting unit, means including a key lever for case-shifting said unit, means for locking said key lever in operated position, a rock shaft journaled in the frame, a spacing member secured to -said rock shaft and movable into-:a position to hold said unit, spaced from the rock shaft, means operating upon operation of said key lever for .rocking said shaft to move said spacing memberinto vspacing position, 4and means operatingA upon operation of said key lever locking means for imposing a cam'action di vrectly on said spacing member to lock thel latter in spacing position.

7. In a typewriter, and in combination,

Ia case shifting unit, means including a key and means acting directly on said locklever vfor case shifting said unit, means for .locking said key lever in operated position,

connection between said pusher and said keylever locking means.

des

'8. In a typewriter, and, in combination', i

a frame a case-shift unit movable vin the fra-me, means, including a case-shift lever,

for case-shifting said unit, a locking device movable to lock said lever in operated position, a combined locking member pivotally anchored to the frame and havinv an arm normally hooking over a portion ofisaid .unit to prevent movement thereof out of normal position 'and a second armv normally out of operative position, for taking under a portion of said unit when in shifted position to,

hold the same in suchpos'ition, means, op-A erable upon operation `of said lever, for

swinging said' locking member to remove said first named arm?. from locking position and insert said second arm into operative position, an inclined lug `on said locking member, a pusher for actingon said lug to lock the second arm in operative positiom' and a connection between said pusher and said lever lockingdevice.

9. In a typewriter, and-in combination, a frame, a case-shift unit. movable in the frame and including a cross bar, a lifting lever for engaging said cross bar` to .shift the unit into intermediate or eXtremecaseft shift positions, a rock shaft -journaled in the frame, a combined locking member.

mounted on said rock shaft and havingfaln arm normally hooking over said crossfrikiy to prevent movement ofthe unit-'out o f normal position, and a second arm, normally out of operative position and movable to 'take locking relation with said cross bar when the uni-t is in either "of said shifted los positions, .to hold the unit'in such osition,

and a rocker arm on the rock sha t, operablenpon operation of said lifting lever to swing the combined locking member, thereby toremove the first'named arm out lof locking position and to insert the second arm in operative position. f.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

LYMAN R. noBERTs. 

